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This document pertains to HP notebook computers with Windows 8 or Windows 7.

This document provides solutions to a variety of problems that can occur with notebook displays such as blurry text, poor video performance, black or white screens, or damaged hardware. Find a section below that matches the problem with your display, and then follow the steps to resolve the issue.

Fuzzy text, images that are slightly blurry around the edges, or images that are stretched and out of proportion can result from improper screen resolution, incorrect graphics driver settings, or outdated BIOS or graphics drivers.

Figure : Blurry display

Figure : Correct display

Figure : Stretched image

Figure : Image displayed correctly

Use the following steps to resolve a fuzzy, blurry, or stretched display:

Some problems with the notebook display resolution can be resolved by adjusting the resolution. For instance, video games often switch the resolution while the game is running in order to optimize frame rates and graphic quality. If such a game shuts down or exits improperly, the resolution might not be restored to the original settings.

note:

The native (recommended) display resolution should produce the sharpest, most precise image on the screen. Resolutions above or below the native display resolution can cause a fuzzy or otherwise distorted display.

Use the steps in one of the following sections, depending on your operating system, to adjust the display resolution:

Some image and text quality issues can be corrected by installing an updated graphics driver. Automatically search for updated graphics driver software using HP Support Assistant (recommended), or using Device Manager.

Use the steps in one of the following sections to update the graphics driver software:

HP Support Assistant (HPSA) is the recommended tool to automatically find updates for your computer. HPSA checks the product-specific resources for your HP computer, and finds updates for the graphics driver suite and the LCD panel, if available.

Select HP updates from the left navigation panel, and then click Check for HP updates now.

Figure : Check for HP updates now

If a graphics driver update is available, the update displays in HP Support Assistant, along with any other available updates for your computer. Follow the on-screen instructions to install the updates.

Use the following steps to find updates in HPSA version 6 or 6.1:

Open HP Support Assistant.

Click Maintain.

Figure : Maintain

Click Refresh to run a health analysis.

When the analysis is complete, click the View analysis button to see the results.

If a graphics driver update is available, select the update and click Apply.

When you view the same image on both the notebook display and an external display panel (monitor, projector, or television), the image shown on the notebook display might shrink to a lower resolution, with black borders around the edges of the reduced display.

Figure : Example of black borders and screen shrinking

This issue can occur when the native display resolution of the notebook and the resolution of the external monitor are not the same. When the graphic control detects two displays, it usually defaults to the lower resolution for both devices.

To resolve this issue, disconnect the external monitor to verify that the resolution on the notebook display changes back to the desired settings. Reconnect the external monitor, and then adjust the resolution settings for each device using one of the following methods:

To use Windows to control the graphic display, connect both displays, right-click on the desktop, select Screen Resolution, and then change the resolution for each display. On some models, you can select an advanced option to either Duplicate the same image on both displays or Extend the desktop image across both displays.

If the problem persists, check for and install any updates to the notebook graphics adapter and BIOS firmware. See the Obtaining Software and Drivers support document for more information.

Certain notebook models that feature a high-performance chip or secondary graphics processing unit (GPU) have an advanced graphics maintenance function. Names of advanced graphics options may vary. To use an advanced graphics maintenance function (if available) to control the graphics display, right-click on the desktop and select one of the following options:

Graphics or Graphics Options (Intel)

Vision engine or Catalyst Control (AMD)

Nvidia Control Panel (Nvidia)

If the problem persists, check for and install any updates to the notebook graphics adapter and BIOS firmware. See the Obtaining Software and Drivers support document for more information.

Due to the nature of LCD technology, a certain number of dots (pixels) might not display correctly. If the display has too many pixel defects within a certain area, the defects might obstruct proper viewing of images on the display.

Install the updated BIOS and graphics drivers to eliminate any potential software display problems. See the Obtaining Software and Drivers support document for more information.

A cracked LCD displays damage in a number of different patterns. This type of physical damage can be detected as early as the BIOS-level startup operations, before the computer boots into Windows (or other operating systems). The display must be replaced. There are no actions available to correct this problem. The notebook can be used by connecting it to an external monitor.

If the notebook computer screen remains black or blank, and there are no error messages on the screen, you must determine if this blank screen is caused by a problem with the display, or if it indicates a problem starting the computer.

Figure : Blank screen

To test for a defective display, use the following steps:

Connect the computer to an external monitor with a VGA or HDMI connector cable.

Connect AC power to the notebook and the external monitor.

Press the Power button on the computer, and then press the Power button on the external monitor.

If an image displays on the external monitor but not on the notebook display, download and install the latest BIOS, the latest graphics driver, and the latest CPU chipset. See the Obtaining Software and Drivers support document for more information.

If there is still no image on the notebook display, there is a hardware problem with the notebook display. Contact HP for repair service.